Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1887-10-22
Allan Qlatepnail
by ii. RIDER HAGGARD.
AUTHOR or "KISo soLoNov's MINES Isle,
JESS" "TnE wrrcH's EEAp," ETC.

ALrlrsJ was much puzzled to know what OF
ject Sorais could have in carrying of the poor
little Frenchman. She could hardly stoop SO
low as to try to wreak her fury on one whom
she knew was only a servant. It would not
be in keeping with her character to do so. At
last, however, an idea occurred to me. We
three were, as l think / have said, much
revered by the people of Zu-Vendis at large,
both because we were the first strangers they
had ever seen, and because we were supposed
to be the possessors of almost supernatural
wisdom. Indeed, though Sorais' cry against
the foreign wolves" or, to translate it more
accurately, foreign hyenas," was sure to go
down very well with the no6ies and the
priests, it was not, as we learned, likely to be
particularly effective among the balk of the
population. The Zu-Vendi people, like the
Athenians of old, nre ever seeking for some
new thing, and just because we were SO new
our presence was. on the whole, acceptable to
them. Again, Sir Henry's magnificent per-
sonnl appearance made deep impression
upon a race who possess a greater love of
beauty than any other / have ever b en- nc
quainted with. Beauty may be priced in
other countries, but in Zu-Vendis it is almost
worshiped, as, indeed, the national love of
statuary shows. The people said openly in
the market places that there was not man
in the country to touch Curtis in personal
appearance, as, with the exception of Sorais,
there was no woman who could compete with
Nyleptha, and that therefore it was meet that
they should marry; and that he had been
sent 10y the Sun as a husband for their queen.
Now, from all this it will be seen that the
30
tent fictitious, and nobody knew it bet er
than Sorais herself. Consequently il struck
me that it might have occurred to her that
down in the country and among the country
people it would be better to place the reason
of her conflict with her sister upon other and
more general grounds than Nyleptha's mar
riage with the stranger 1t would be easy in
a land where there had been so many civil
wars to rake out some old cry that would
stir up the recollection of buried feuds, and,
indeed, she soon found an effectua one This
being SO, it was of great Importance to her
to have one OF the strangers with her whom
she could show to the common people as
grear outlander who had been SO strhck by
the justice of her cause that he had elected
to leave his companions and follow her
standard.
This, no doubt, was the cause Of her anxiety
to get G hold Of Good, whom she would have
used till he ceased to be OF service and then
cast OFF. But Good having drawn back, she
grasped at the opportunity of securing Al
phonse, who was not unlike him in personal
appearance, though smaller, no doubt with
tie object of showing him of in the cities and
'ountry as the great Bougwan himself /
pI1 Good hat I fbn,,uht hat
,lan, and his face was a sight to see, he was
10 Mortified at the idea.
"What!" he said, "dress up that little
wretch to represent mea Why, shall have
to get out of the countryi My reputation will
be ruined forever"
lconsoled him as well as / could but it is
not pleasant to be personated all over a
strange country by an arrant little coward,
and can quite sympathize with his vexa-
ton.
Well, that night Good and messed, as /
have said, in solitary grandeur, feeling very
much as though we had just returned from
burying friend instead of marrying one,
and next morning the work began in good
earnest The messages and orders which had
been dispatched by Nyleptha two days before
now began to take effect, and multitudes OF
armed inen came pouring into the city. We
saw, as may be imagined, but very little Of
Nyleptha and not too much Of Curtis during
those next few days, but Good and sat daily
with the council of generals and loyal lords
drawing up plans of action, arranging com
missariat matters, the distribution Of com
mands, and hundred and one other things
Men came in freely, and all the day long the
great roads leading to Milosis were spotted
with the banners OF lords arriving from theii
places TO rally round Nyleptha.
After the first two days it became cieal
tina. we should be able 10 take the field witt
about forty thousand infantry and twenty
thousand cavalry-a very respectable force
considering how short was the time we hat
to collect it, and that about half Of the reg
lar army had elected to follow Sorais
But il our force was large, Sorais' was
according to the reports brought in day b,
day by our spies, much 4arger. She hai
taken up her headquarters at a very stronI
town called MArstuna, situated, as hav
said, 10 the north Of Milosis. and all the cour
try side was fiocking to her standard Mast
had poured down from his highlands. an
was on his way 70 join her with no less tina
twenty-five thousand Of his mouutaineerr
the most terrible soldiers to face IN all n
vendis Another mighty lori. named Belr